CD Reviews

Re-hashing the Band

10/21/1998

(1 out of 5 stars)

"A number of Internet reviews and Band fanzines (including The Band's official website) have suggested that this CD contains outtakes from the famous "Rock of Ages" sessions at the New York Academy of Music. Considering the sources of these rumours, the folks who've spread this info should know better. In reality, the album is just what the people at Capitol--to their mixed credit--say it is: an edited version of "Rock of Ages," covering what on the LP version was sides two and three, with their rousing versions of "Don't Do It" and "King Harvest" from side one thrown in for good measure. There is little doubt that it's the same versions of the songs--solos are note-for-note the same, something neither Robbie Robertson nor Garth Hudson had a reputation for doing, "Stage Fright" has feedback from the vocal mike in the same spot as the "Rock of Ages'" version, and, if you listen carefully, you can hear Levon Helm hit his sticks together during the short drum break on "Don't Do It."The sound has been cleaned up since the first version of the CD was put out; there is considerably more separation between the instruments, and little things like the weird bass-drop-out at the top of "Don't Do It" have been fixed. I suppose there's inherently wrong with this CD--it does offer buyers a bargain introduction to The Band, and the performances on "Rock of Ages" were extraordinary. Still, it's not much more than typical exploitation on Capitol Records part of the group, which has persisted since they broke up in 1976. In reality, there's little reason for this CD to exist (and the exclusion of Richard Manuel on the cover photo is both offensive and downright creepy).Listeners who really want to hear outtakes of The Band's "Rock of Ages" sessions should seek out "Crossing The Great Divide" a terrific (and unfortunately expensive) three-CD bootleg that contains a goldmine of material, including outtakes, b-sides and early singles. Considering that the Band's old boss Bob Dylan has finally officially released the famous "Royal Albert Hall" bootleg, perhaps The Band might consider doing the same with "Crossing the Great Divide.""